Externally controlled fan coupling device

Abstract

In a fan coupling device in which the interior of a sealed housing supported and born by a rotary shaft having a driving disc secured thereto is separated by a partition plate having an oil supply adjusting hole into an oil reservoir and a torque transmission chamber in which the driving disc is contained and in which driving torque is transmitted to a driven side by oil supplied to the torque transmission chamber, a non-excited electromagnet utilizing a permanent magnet located in the oil reservoir of the sealed housing being supported around the rotary shaft, the valve member being actuated by the electromagnet to provide a mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of the oil supply adjusting hole.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A temperature sensitive fluid fan coupling apparatus comprising: 
       a rotary shaft having a rotational axis;  
       a drive disc fixed to said rotary shaft being and rotatable therewith, the drive disc having an outer periphery;  
       a sealed housing having an inner portion, said sealed housing being rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft such that the drive disc is within the inner portion of the sealed housing;  
       a partition plate secured in the sealed housing and separating the inner portion of the sealed housing into an oil reservoir and a torque transmission chamber, such that the drive disc is disposed in the torque transmission chamber;  
       a dam formed on the sealed housing at a location in the torque transmission chamber opposed to the outer periphery of the drive disc;  
       an oil circulating flow passage extending from a location in the torque transmission chamber adjacent the dam to a location in the oil reservoir;  
       an oil supply hole formed through the partition plate and extending from the oil reservoir to the torque transmission chamber;  
       a valve member in the oil reservoir for selectively opening and closing the supply hole;  
       a non-excited electromagnet located outside the sealed housing, the electromagnet being supported around the rotary shaft by a bearing, and a permanent magnet disposed between the electromagnet and the seal housing, the electromagnet being operative to actuate the valve member for controlling opening and closing of the oil supply adjusting hole.  
     
     
       2. The fluid fan coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet is attached to the sealed housing. 
     
     
       3. The fluid fan coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a plate spring and a magnetic piece secured to the plate spring. 
     
     
       4. The fluid fan coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a coil spring and a magnetic piece secured to the coil spring. 
     
     
       5. The fluid fan coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed housing is made of a non-magnetic material. 
     
     
       6. The fluid fan coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein all of the valve member is disposed radially outwardly from the rotary shaft. 
     
     
       7. The fluid fan coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a piece formed from a material responsive to magnetic forces of the permanent magnet. 
     
     
       8. A temperature sensitive fluid fan coupling apparatus comprising: 
       a rotary shaft having a rotational axis;  
       a drive disc fixed to said rotary shaft being and rotatable therewith, the drive disc having an outer periphery;  
       a sealed housing having an inner portion, said sealed housing being rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft such that the drive disc is within the inner portion of the sealed housing;  
       a partition plate secured in the sealed housing and separating the inner portion of the sealed housing into an oil reservoir and a torque transmission chamber, such that the drive disc is disposed in the torque transmission chamber;  
       a dam formed on the sealed housing at a location in the torque transmission chamber opposed to the outer periphery of the drive disc;  
       an oil circulating flow passage extending from a location in the torque transmission chamber adjacent the dam to a location in the oil reservoir;  
       an oil supply hole formed through the partition plate and extending from the oil reservoir to the torque transmission chamber;  
       a valve member in the oil reservoir for selectively opening and closing the supply hole;  
       a non-excited electromagnet located outside the sealed housing, the electromagnet being supported around the rotary shaft by a bearing, and a permanent magnet being disposed between the electromagnet and the seal housing, the electromagnet being operative to actuate the valve member for controlling opening and closing of the oil supply adjusting hole and a permanent magnet attached to the electromagnet and disposed between the electromagnet and the sealed housing, the electromagnet being operative to actuate the valve member for controlling opening and closing of the oil supply adjusting hole.